Acceleration Converter
Convert between m/s², g-force, ft/s² and mph/s — with a 0-60 mph calculator and an interactive guide to what different g-forces actually feel like.
ACCELERATION CONVERTER
SI & common
Imperial & specialist
⚡ g-force experience
Enter an acceleration to see what it feels like
🚗 0–60 mph acceleration calculator
Enter your 0–60 mph time to get the average acceleration
Enter an acceleration to see a real-world comparison
Famous accelerations — click to load
Step-by-step solution
Type an acceleration to see the conversion working
g-force reference guide
Key acceleration facts
Real-world accelerations
Acceleration Converter Explained
Core concepts, classroom applications, and plain-English explanations for all audiences.
Where you'll actually use this
Car adverts boast "0–62 mph in 4.2 seconds." That's acceleration — but in what unit? (About 6.6 m/s².) Rollercoasters are rated in g-force — the best ones hit 3–4g at the bottom of a drop. Fighter pilots experience 7–9g during sharp turns. Sports scientists measure an athlete's explosive start in m/s². These are all the same thing, expressed differently.
Worked example
"A sports car goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. What is its acceleration in m/s² and in g-force?"
100 km/h = 27.78 m/s
a = Δv ÷ t = 27.78 ÷ 3.5 = 7.94 m/s²
g-force = 7.94 ÷ 9.81 = 0.81g
Result: 7.94 m/s² = 0.81g — about as intense as a fast lift
1g = 9.81 m/s² — Earth's gravitational acceleration. At 1g you feel your normal weight. At 3g you feel three times heavier.
G-force reference points
- → 0g: Weightlessness — free fall or orbit. Astronauts in the ISS experience this continuously.
- → 3–4g: Typical rollercoaster maximum. Blood is pulled toward your feet; tunnel vision can begin above 4g.
- → ~100g instantaneous: Car crash airbag deployment — very high but for only milliseconds.
The formula: a = F ÷ m
Newton's second law: acceleration = force ÷ mass. A heavier car with the same engine accelerates more slowly. This is why performance figures quote power-to-weight ratio, not just horsepower.
What is Acceleration?
Acceleration is a fundamental concept in physics that describes how quickly an object's velocity changes. It's not just about speeding up; an object is also accelerating if it slows down (deceleration) or changes direction, even if its speed stays the same.
Measured in metres per second squared (m/s²), acceleration tells us the rate at which velocity increases or decreases each second. Our converter helps you understand and switch between various units of acceleration, from the everyday to the extreme, and even calculate average acceleration for common scenarios like a car's 0-60 mph sprint.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Acceleration is how fast something is going:This describes speed or velocity, not acceleration. Speed is a scalar quantity (magnitude only), velocity is a vector (magnitude and direction). Acceleration is the rate at which an object's velocity changes. This change can be in speed, direction, or both.
- The units for acceleration are m/s:Metres per second (m/s) are the units for speed or velocity. Acceleration involves a change in velocity over time. The units for acceleration are metres per second squared (m/s²), meaning the velocity changes by a certain number of m/s every second.
- If something experiences 2g, it means it's twice as heavy:G-force is a measure of acceleration, not weight. While it feels like increased weight, it's the force exerted on your body due to acceleration. Experiencing 2g means you are undergoing an acceleration equivalent to twice the acceleration due to Earth's gravity, making you feel twice your normal weight.
- Acceleration only happens when an object speeds up:Many people forget that slowing down is also a form of acceleration (deceleration), and changing direction at a constant speed also involves acceleration. Acceleration occurs whenever an object's velocity changes, whether it's speeding up, slowing down, or changing its direction of motion.